Everyone here is profoundly affected by this loss. Bekemalicha, 25, and her one-year-old son, Did, are among those suffering.

“I am on the point of tears right now, I’m feeling so miserable,” she said. “The animals are all we have, but now they are dead.”

For the people of Badanrero, their livestock are their only source of livelihood. But beyond their monetary value, the villagers also have a deep connection with their animals. Without them, they are left feeling helpless, their pride gone.

The curious thing was that no one in the village so much as acknowledged the foul smell in the air.

Perhaps they had grown accustomed to it. Or perhaps they didn’t really want to get rid of the carcasses, that somehow they didn’t want to say goodbye to their animals.

Bekemalicha, 25, said: “We are a big family. I take care of my mum who is a widow so everything we have we share with her. We have a small meal of plain maize once a day, not twice, we cannot afford any more.”

The Red Cross nutritionist sees the children one-by-one. He measures the circumference of the children’s arms, their height, their weight. He then consults his chart, the numbers indicating the stage of malnutrition.

Most of the children are small for their age and underweight. There are 18-month-olds weighing what a six-month-old should.

The children are given a two-week supply of Plumpy’Nut — a peanut-based paste designed to increase their weight.

A necessary slaughter

The Kenya Red Cross is the only agency working in this remote part of Kenya.

As well as providing support to people suffering from malnutrition, the Red Cross is running a livestock ‘de-stocking programme’ that ensures farmers get something for their animals before they die.

The Red Cross buys livestock deemed too weak or unwell for their owners to sell on the open market. Cash is given to the owners before the livestock are slaughtered. The meat is then given to the community.

Increasingly, the Red Cross is also providing cash directly to vulnerable communities such as Badanrero. In remote areas like this, the logistics of traditional food aid can be very difficult.

Giving money directly to people also keeps businesses like Qabale’s afloat. Families can use the cash to buy essential goods in the market.

“Yesterday I sold quite a good amount — immediately after the Red Cross distributed cash I sold 7,000 Kenya shillings worth in a day which is really good,” said Qabale.